Learning Slovenian in Slovenia: Essential Methods and Resources for Expatriates

Published on January 23, 2026 and written by Cyril Jarnias

Moving to Slovenia without speaking the language is possible. But building a real life there, making local friends, understanding the humor, administrative nuances, or office jokes is much easier with at least some Slovenian. The country is small, very English-speaking—especially among the young and in tourism—but the language remains the key to social, professional, and cultural integration.

Understanding Slovenian: A Demanding Yet Logical Language

Before choosing a method, it’s useful to understand what you’re getting into. Slovenian is a South Slavic language, spoken by about 2 to 2.5 million people, mainly in Slovenia but also in parts of Italy, Austria, Hungary, and Croatia. It has a long written tradition, a rich literature (France Prešeren, Fran Milčinski…) and a very strong cultural anchoring.

Features That Surprise Expats

On paper, Slovenian is intimidating: a highly inflectional grammar, six cases, three genders, and especially a “dual” system, a specific form for “two” (two people, two objects), which affects nouns, adjectives, pronouns, and verbs. A single noun can have up to around twenty forms depending on case, gender, and number. For a French speaker, it feels like a super-version of German… with more Slavic traits.

Another typical difficulty: dialects. There are several dozen regional varieties, to the point where some Slovenians have difficulty understanding each other. Everyday language can also differ from the “standard” Slovenian learned in courses. Finally, pronunciation includes rolled consonants, tight consonant clusters, and specific letters (č, š, ž), with a mobile stress accent.

What Makes Life Easier for Learners

Faced with this picture, there are fortunately some reassuring elements. Slovenian uses the Latin alphabet, with only three additional letters (č, š, ž). Spelling is largely phonetic: once the sounds are mastered, you read what you see. The basic verb tenses are few (mainly one present, one past, one future), which simplifies conjugation compared to French.

A realistic estimate, for a native English speaker, speaks of about 1100 hours to achieve true mastery. For a motivated expat, 6 to 12 months is generally enough to hold an everyday conversation, provided you are consistent and combine several approaches.

Major Learning Pathways for Expats in Slovenia

In Slovenia, expats have a range of often complementary levers: free (or subsidized) public programs, universities, private schools, online courses, applications, language exchanges, guided self-study.

Public Language Integration Programs

The core of the system relies on programs co-financed by the Slovenian government and European Union funds, particularly the “Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund” (AMIF).

Two flagship schemes structure the offer for third-country nationals (non-EU):

– the “Initial Integration of Migrants” (ZIP) program;

– the informal “Learning Slovenian for Survival” program.

Both are focused on Slovenian as a second language and knowledge of Slovenian society. They are free for participants, but funded by the state and European funds.

ZIP and Survival Courses: How Many Hours, For Whom, Why?

The ZIP program is an accredited public curriculum, centered on Slovenian and life in Slovenia. The standard format includes 180 hours of classes. If you don’t pass the final exam, you can get an additional 60 hours, for up to 240 hours total. A recent reform has officially increased the maximum number of hours accessible to adult immigrants.

The “Learning Slovenian for Survival” program also offers 180 hours, with the same possibility of 60 additional hours if results are insufficient. It primarily aims at basic communication for surviving daily life: stores, transport, health, simple administration.

– third-country nationals with a temporary or permanent residence permit valid for at least one year;

– family members of Slovenian or EU citizens residing in Slovenia;

– persons with international or temporary protection.

EU citizens themselves are not eligible for these specific free programs. They will have to go through other channels (language schools, universities, private courses).

Registration Formalities: The €22.60 Certificate

To access these courses or certain exams for free, a key document is required: a certificate issued by the “administrative unit” (Upravna enota) of your place of residence. It costs €22.60, paid once. It certifies your eligibility and gives you the right to a certain number of hours (60, 120, 180, or 240 depending on your status and the duration of your permit).

The providers delivering these courses are selected through tenders every two years: people’s universities (Ljudska univerza) in various cities, the Centre for Slovenian as a Second and Foreign Language at the University of Ljubljana, associations like Slovenska filantropija, or private institutes like Didaktum, very active for “survival level” training in about forty localities.

Language and the Job Market: Legal Requirements to Know

Learning Slovenian is not just a matter of politeness towards your neighbors. Slovenian law has gradually integrated language requirements related to work, permanent residence, or family reunification.

A recent amendment to the Aliens Act further strengthens these requirements:

– for family reunification, a “survival” level of Slovenian is required;

– for a permanent residence permit, an A2 level (CEFR) is required, with exceptions (degree obtained in Slovenian, exam already passed at a higher level, etc.).

Concretely, this means that the language issue will arise sooner or later for any expat wishing to stay beyond a few years.

Official Exams: What Are They For and How to Access Them?

The Slovenian exam system is structured around the “Slovene as a Second and Foreign Language” program, divided into four main levels, all aligned with the Common European Framework of Reference (A1 to C1/C2). Since 2017, the exams designed by the Examination Centre of the Centre for Slovenian at the University of Ljubljana have been awarded the ALTE Q-mark quality certification, enhancing their international recognition.

Several types of exams are distinguished:

– official multinational exams (B1, B2, C1) recognized by the Global Seal of Biliteracy, used for academic or professional dossiers;

– public “Slovene as a second and foreign language” exams (breakthrough, basic, intermediate, advanced levels) accessible for free once for eligible third-country nationals under ZIP;

– “survival” level test, more oral, intended to verify the ability to handle daily needs (shopping, doctor, transport, etc.).

For citizenship applicants or certain statuses, the basic level exam is particularly strategic. It consists of four equally weighted parts: listening comprehension, reading comprehension, written production, and oral interview (general conversation, guided description with pictures, role-play). To pass, you must obtain at least 60% of the points in each component. Grading is descriptive (from “excellent” to “insufficient”).

Candidates who have completed a 180 or 120-hour ZIP course with at least 80% attendance are entitled to a first free attempt, funded by the Government Office for the Support and Integration of Migrants and the AMIF. However, they must cover their own travel and material costs.

The “survival” tests are entrusted to the Didaktum institute, with registration via an online form. Again, the first attempt is covered by the state, after obtaining a specific certificate costing €22.60.

Universities and Language Centers: A Dense Offer for Students and Researchers

If you are a student, PhD candidate, researcher, or student’s spouse, Slovenian universities are a natural entry point into Slovenian.

The Centre for Slovenian as a Second and Foreign Language (University of Ljubljana)

The Centre for Slovenian as a Second and Foreign Language, part of the Faculty of Arts at the University of Ljubljana, plays a central role. It designs exams, publishes textbooks, conducts didactic research, and offers an impressive range of courses, in-person and online, for adults and youth.

Among the flagship formats:

– Summer School for Youth (13–17 years old), organized since 2006, mixing language classes in the morning with fun or cultural activities in the afternoon and evening.

– Intensive Weeks of Slovenian for students of Slovenian or bilingual secondary schools abroad, initially launched for students from Carinthia in Austria and later extended to Hungary.

– Courses for Future Students in Slovenia: for example, an 80-lesson module in Slovenian for secondary school students wishing to study locally, two evenings a week, or beginner/intermediate courses for children and teenagers over two weeks (20 lessons for about €295).

Courses can be in-person or online (via Zoom), also with individual formats (about €45 per 45-minute lesson).

University of Nova Gorica and University of Primorska: Two Very Active Hubs

The Language Centre of the University of Nova Gorica (UNG LC) offers a very flexible structure for all levels (A1 to B2):

– each standard course lasts 60 hours of 45 minutes (reduced to 45 in small groups);

– the format can be classical in-person, hybrid (one-third in class, two-thirds online), or fully online;

– courses are usually worth 4 ECTS (6 ECTS for a basic Slovenian course);

– for UNG students and staff, one course per year is free; subsequent ones cost €320. For others, prices are around €379 (A1/A2) to €399 (B1/B2).

The universities of Primorska (Koper and surrounding area) also focus on a welcoming language policy:

Slovenian language requirements depend on the field of study. Generally, for programs taught in Slovenian, foreign students must prove A2 upon entering the second year. Some bachelor’s or master’s programs require B1 or C1 by the end of the program. For PhDs (excluding Slovenian studies), there is often no formal requirement, except for the “Slovenian studies” program which requires B1 upon entry, B2 upon exit.

Leto PLUS: The Preparatory Year for Future Students

Another useful tool for young expats: the Leto PLUS / Year PLUS program at the University of Nova Gorica, intended for international students with insufficient Slovenian to follow regular classes. It is a preparatory year mixing language courses and university integration. This type of scheme allows reaching the required level without skipping steps.

Private Schools, Intensive Courses, and Specialized Training

When you don’t qualify for public programs—or want to go faster, further—private Slovenian language schools are a flexible, but paid, alternative.

Summer Intensive Courses, Evening Classes, and Online Training

Several organizations offer intensive courses, often very popular with expats:

– Zavod ŠOLT for example organizes 30-hour summer intensive courses, completed in two and a half weeks, with four sessions per week. Prices start around €199 for students and €259 for non-students. If the number of participants is less than four, the course duration may be reduced or the group canceled.

Typical pricing packages for this type of group course look like this:

These offers are well-suited for expats who work and want a regular but moderate pace, with a small group.

Via Linguae and Structured Online Courses

Some companies specialize in structured online training. This is the case with Via Linguae, Jezikovni tečaji d.o.o., based in Ljubljana. It offers modules of 50, 100, or 120 hours, often on Zoom, with an online learning environment (like the ERUDIO virtual classroom) containing materials, exercises, and recordings.

Some price benchmarks:

The Medical Slovenian course aims at the C1 level required to work in Slovenian healthcare institutions or enter certain medical faculties. The cost/hour ratio is high, but the objective is very specific (terminology, in-depth preparation for a high-level exam).

Expats, Employment, and the Public Employment Service

For people registered as job seekers, the public service offers free A1 courses (120–180 hours) and an exam, plus:

– reimbursement of travel expenses (€0.23/km) to attend classes and on exam day;

– participation allowance (€1.50/hour) to compensate for the time invested.

The exam must be taken within one year of registration (extendable up to 12 months in case of force majeure). Those who pass an exam at a higher level (A2 or above) or who have formal studies in Slovenian are exempt from this obligation.

Self-Study: Choosing Your Online and App Resources Wisely

The other pillar for an expat is independent work, especially if you have a full-time job or a busy family life. The advantage, for Slovenian, is that the ecosystem of resources has significantly enriched in recent years, even if the offer remains less abundant than for Spanish or German.

Structured Free Online Courses

Two free platforms deserve particular attention.

First, Slovene Learning Online (slonline.si), already mentioned, developed by the Centre for Slovenian in cooperation with the company DigiEd. The interface is clear, playful, and covers the alphabet, numbers, common phrases, practical situations. Short animations present the country, language, and daily life.

You can add 50LANGUAGES, with its “Slovene for beginners” course based on 100 practical phrase lessons. Audio files are downloadable in MP3, and the mobile app offers games, tests, and offline review. Again, no prerequisites are needed, the approach is clearly oriented towards basic communication.

Mobile Apps: Don’t Wait for Duolingo

Unlike other languages, Slovenian is not (or not fully) integrated into mainstream platforms like Duolingo. So you have to look elsewhere. Several apps stand out for Slovenian:

– Ling App: designed by Simya Solutions, it covers over 60 languages including Slovenian. Courses aim to be comprehensive (reading, writing, comprehension, and speaking) with mini-games, AI chatbot, pronunciation exercises, letter tracing on screen, etc. Content is created with native speakers, voices are not synthetic. A freemium model gives access to beginner lessons; paid subscriptions (monthly, semi-annual, annual, lifetime) allow going further.

– Clozemaster: more for intermediate and advanced levels. The app offers fill-in-the-blank sentences in various contexts to consolidate vocabulary and grammatical structures in real situations.

– Mondly: offers interactive lessons, a chatbot, speech recognition, and even augmented reality experiences for some languages. For Slovenian, it’s an interesting option if you want a balanced path between comprehension and expression.

– Drops, LinGo Play, DuoCards, 50 Languages: each has its angle (ultra-short sessions, flashcards, visual immersion, etc.), useful for supplementing without necessarily replacing a real course.

– Forvo: a pronunciation dictionary where you can hear thousands of Slovenian words pronounced by natives, sometimes with dialectal variations. Ideal for correcting an accent or checking the right intonation before an appointment.

Multimedia Platforms and Creator Content

The range extends well beyond apps:

– YouTube concentrates several creators of content in Slovenian for foreigners: educational videos, series like “How to be a Slovene”, channels by expats sharing their integration. Some videos offer English subtitles, facilitating the switch between languages.

– Bloggers and expats also share resource lists: grammar memos, lists of false friends, feedback on different schools or textbooks (“Colloquial Slovene”, “Slovene: A Comprehensive Grammar”, etc.).

– Tools like Forvo, Besana (for checking declensions), Termania or the lexical portal Fran offer a deep dive into the written language, useful for those who like to understand in depth how the language works.

Again, the challenge for the expat is to turn these resources into a manageable routine: listen to a Slovenian podcast on the bus, follow one or two local channels, set your phone interface to Slovenian, etc.

Practicing with Slovenians: Tandems, Meetups, Social Media

No method, however brilliant, replaces conversations with real people. For expats, practice is doubly crucial: it unlocks the language and opens social doors.

Tandem Apps and Online Communities

Several platforms facilitate connecting with Slovenian speakers:

– Tandem and HelloTalk: very popular “language exchange” apps where you can find dozens of profiles in Slovenia, especially in Ljubljana and Maribor. Slovenians there often learn English, German, Italian, or Korean, and are happy to exchange for French or another language.

– HelloTalk, beyond messaging, offers “Voice Rooms” (audio lounges) and lives, which can be a good way to get used to Slovenian accents without pressure.

These platforms require a minimum of caution (avoid sharing sensitive data, spot unserious profiles) but they offer, at little or no cost, a conversational immersion hard to achieve otherwise.

Local Life: Cafes, Libraries, and Universities

In Slovenia itself, language exchanges also organize in real life: conversation cafes in major cities, municipal libraries (like in Maribor), student associations on campuses, organizations like Slovenska filantropija which sometimes offer volunteer Slovenian workshops (without a certificate, but very useful for speaking).

Concrete Strategies for Effectively Combining These Resources

Faced with the abundance of programs, schools, and tools, many expats wonder where to start. Here are some organizational pointers, depending on profiles.

Profile 1: Third-Country Expat, New Arrival

If you are a non-EU national, newly settled in Slovenia, several reflexes are strategic:

1. Check your eligibility for the ZIP program and/or the survival course, as well as for the employment service courses if you are registered as a job seeker.

2. Quickly obtain the certificate from your Upravna enota (€22.60), then register for a ZIP or survival course on one of the sites listing providers (infotujci.si, people’s university sites, etc.).

3. Take advantage of the free exam at the end of the course, aiming for at least A1 or A2 level depending on your plans (job, family reunification, permanent permit). Remember to use self-directed learning centers to prepare for the exam.

5. Very quickly, add practice: language tandem (Tandem, HelloTalk), meeting neighbors, participation in association events. Don’t wait until you “speak well” before speaking.

Profile 2: EU Expat in a Job, Little Time

For a European who came to work in Slovenia, often exempt from free schemes but very busy:

– enroll in an evening course at a private school (like group course A1 then A2, once or twice a week);

– follow Slovene Learning Online in parallel to solidify basic grammar;

– use an app like Memrise or Drops daily to enrich vocabulary (5 to 10 minutes per day);

– schedule one or two tandem sessions per week, online or in-person, to practice what was learned;

– set a deadline (e.g., take an A1 or A2 exam within the year) to stay motivated.

Profile 3: Foreign Student

For a student, the logic is often to go through the university:

Profile 4: Expat Spouse, Stay-at-Home Parent

This profile sometimes has more time but less direct contact with the language:

– take a summer intensive course (Zavod ŠOLT, universities, private schools), useful to “break the initial barrier”;

– combine with online courses (Via Linguae or others) if mobility is limited (children, travel);

– use resources adapted for children (language workshops, games in Slovenian) to learn as a family;

– integrate into the neighborhood: markets, parent-teacher associations, libraries, where a few phrases like “Živijo”, “Hvala”, “Lep dan!” are much appreciated and encourage Slovenians to help.

Why the Language Investment Pays Off in Slovenia

All studies on integration remind us: language is one of the major levers for access to employment, social participation, and reducing discrimination. In Slovenia, where immigrants represent a growing share of the population (over 12% third-country nationals and about 3% EU citizens), the recent national integration strategy emphasizes the importance of offering Slovenian language courses.

For many expats, a pivotal moment is when you successfully handle your first complex interaction in Slovenian: resolving an administrative problem, explaining a health issue to a doctor, leading a work meeting, joking with Slovenian friends. These “small victories” consolidated by practice give the feeling of truly inhabiting the country, not just residing there.

Setting Up a Personal Roadmap

The last piece of advice, perhaps the most important, is not to leave it to chance. Slovenian is not a language you absorb passively by having a coffee on the main square in Ljubljana. It requires regularity, but not necessarily full days of study.

A simple plan for an expat might look like this:

The good news is that in Slovenia, the institutional ecosystem (public programs, universities, language centers, European funding) and the citizen ecosystem (volunteering, tandems) form a rather favorable environment. Many Slovenians deeply appreciate a foreigner making the effort to learn their language, especially in a country where English could suffice on the surface.

For an expat willing to invest a little time each day, Slovenian then ceases to be an “impossible language” to become a concrete, living tool, that opens the doors to this small green country nestled between Austria, Hungary, Croatia, and Italy—and to the daily life that goes with it.

Cyril Jarnias

Cyril Jarnias is an independent expert in international wealth management with over 20 years of experience. As an expatriate himself, he is dedicated to helping individuals and business leaders build, protect, and pass on their wealth with complete peace of mind.

On his website, cyriljarnias.com, he shares his expertise on international real estate, offshore company formation, and expatriation.

Thanks to his expertise, he offers sound advice to optimize his clients' wealth management. Cyril Jarnias is also recognized for his appearances in many prestigious media outlets such as BFM Business, les Français de l’étranger, Le Figaro, Les Echos, and Mieux vivre votre argent, where he shares his knowledge and know-how in wealth management.

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